The Sensitivity of the Nocturnal Minimum Temperature over Dry Terrain to Temperature and Humidity Changes Aloft

Abstract

The sensitivity of the nocturnal minimum temperature over dry soil under clear calm conditions to changes in the distribution of temperature and humidity aloft is estimated. To make the estimates, the minimum temperature is calculated by means of a simple radiative-conductive model for thermal equilibrium at the surface. Changes due to systematic variations in the temperature and dewpoint depression of three tropospheric layers are computed. The results indicate that relatively small changes in temperature and humidity occurring aloft in the lower layers of the atmosphere produce changes of several degrees in the nocturnal minimum temperature at screen height.